I stumbled upon this thread:

new rear main seal install procedure 4.0l

It says to install the RMS offset from the bearing cap mating surface. I suppose it makes sense but just curious if anyone has experience doing this?

 

Bump because I'm wondering the same thing.

Also, I have the 'wingless' RMS design on my rear main bearing cap and am really confused by the FSM's directions for using anaerobic sealer. If I'm reading it correctly, it looks like I have to put some in the corners between the mating surface where the bearing cap contacts the block...wont' that affect bearing clearance? I understand that the FSM says to put off to the side, not directly under the area where the bolts & main bearing go, but still...seems a bit dodgy.

 

I've always done it that way so the "parting line" of the seal is off set from the "parting line" if the cap. Should reduce the chance of a leak. Learned this from a machine shop years ago.

Rodger

 

I ended up doing it this way (offset) and 2 months later, all good. I also used the wingless kind of seal after the ones with wings failed on me.